Puppies are overrated. I say that after spending the past six months working on raising one who's still a work in progress.

Faith is a darling, bright retriever who is as good a puppy as anyone could hope for. I love her! But after puddles, chewed headphones and the silliness and mess that go along with raising a puppy, I'm reminded why most dogs that have ended up as part of my family have come into my home as adults.

October is Adopt-A-Dog month, and that also reminds me why, when people with a lot on their plates ask me about getting a puppy, I encourage them to consider a grown dog instead. Chosen carefully, an adult dog will be well past puppy foolishness and may have had some basic obedience training.

Unlike puppies, who need constant monitoring, an adult dog should be able to be left alone while a family is at work or school after a much-shorter period of training and re-adjustment.

For today's time-crunched households, there's no better deal than a good adult dog. But getting the right one is a little more difficult than going down to the shelter and picking out the cutest one.

While expecting to work on some minor behavior issues as your new dog gets used to you is reasonable, you want to avoid animals that have too many problems, especially if one of them is aggression. Here are some questions that will help you:

• What do you know of this dog's history? You may be dealing with a shelter, a rescue volunteer, the dog's original owner or breeder, or a nice person who found a stray. The more information you get, the better. If you find out nothing about it because it was a stray, don't count the dog out. If it's healthy, friendly and otherwise fits your size, shedding and activity criteria, it's a contender.

• Why is this dog available for adoption? Dogs become available for lots of reasons. Loss of a home, divorce and death in the family show no fault on the dog's part, but "bit our daughter" is a problem.

Listen, too, for what isn't said: "He needs more exercise than we can give him" may mean "He needs more exercise than almost anyone could possibly ever give him, and he eats furniture when he doesn't get it." If you live a sedentary life, this isn't the dog for you.

• What behavior problems does this dog have? Many things are fixable and worth considering if you honestly believe you'll take the time to work with the dog. "Pulls on the leash" is fixable. "He bites people, but only sometimes" is not, at least not by the average pet owner's standard, and not to the extent that you should take a chance on him with so many other dogs available.

Remember, too, that some problems are the owner's fault, not the dog's. "Won't stay in the yard," for example, may be easily cured by a good fence and neutering.

• How is this dog with children? Other dogs? Cats? Even if you don't have children, you're going to run into some from time to time. The same is true with other dogs. You can successfully avoid cats if you don't have them, but make certain your prospective pet at least tolerates them if you have a cat in your home.

If you're getting an animal from a shelter, the organization should have asked the former owner to fill out a card on such things as problems with children or other animals.

If you're adopting from a foster home, ask if the family has other animals and children. If there's no way to determine the dog's attitude toward children and other animals but he seems friendly, he may be OK. If you have doubts, however, hold out for an animal that you're sure fits well with your family.

• Above all, take your time. This is a decision that should be for the dog's lifetime, and there are lots of pets to consider. Make the decision with your head as much as your heart. There's plenty of time after adoption to fall in love with your new canine companion.

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. E-mail them at petconnection@gmail.com or visit www.petconnection.com. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/spadafori.